STANFORD, Calif. 026 014 The University of California, Santa Barbara Men’s Water Polo team split its games on September 19, 2026, at the MPSF Invitational held at Avery Aquatic Center. The No. 14 Gauchos defeated No. 17 Santa Clara 15-13 in the days earlier match before narrowly falling to No. 8 Princeton 15-14 in overtime later that evening.
Freshman Dash D’Ambrosia led UCSB with five goals against Santa Clara and added one goal against Princeton. Freshman Luigi Canepa scored five goals in the Princeton contest. Co-captain Finn Genc contributed three goals in the game against Princeton and two goals versus Santa Clara.
Against Santa Clara, UCSB trailed by one after the first quarter but took an 8-7 halftime lead following a productive second quarter. The teams exchanged goals in the third quarter before UCSB pulled ahead in the final period. Despite Santa Clara earning a five-meter penalty in the final 20 seconds, goalkeeper Wyatt Pieretti made a critical save to preserve the Gauchos’ 15-13 victory.
The nightcap with Princeton featured a hard-fought battle. UCSB led by three goals at halftime, but Princeton rallied to tie the game with one second left in regulation, forcing overtime. Princeton scored in each overtime period, edging UCSB 15-14 despite a goal from Genc in the final 30 seconds.
UC Santa Barbara will continue the MPSF Invitational with a game against No. 11 Pepperdine on September 20, 2026, at 12:30 p.m., also at Avery Aquatic Center.
CSB Take
The UC Santa Barbara Men’s Water Polo team demonstrated offensive depth and poise in competitive matches against ranked opponents at the MPSF Invitational. The standout scoring by freshmen Dash D’Ambrosia and Luigi Canepa indicates a strong foundation for the program’s future. Despite a heartbreaking overtime loss to Princeton, the Gauchos showed they can contend with top-tier teams as they prepare for upcoming challenges in the tournament.
Source: Original report
